Company & Technology Overview
Illustrative Meta-Material Prototype
The following video demonstrates a prototype of a new meta-material, developed at FVMat.
The cube is crafted from plastic (ABS) and contains cylindrical voids. Within these voids, we’ve positioned small magnetic particles. The size and shape of both the voids and particles can be meticulously tailored to our preferences.
By applying a magnetic field, the orientation of the magnetic particles is changed. This leads to a controllable changes in the properties of the material. The orientation of the particles affects the material in the following manners:
The stiffness is higher along the particles axis
The magnetic properties change
The interactions between the particles change
Basic Concept
The following video illustrates the general concept of the new meta-material. The basic building block of the meta-material micro-structure is called a unit cell. We zoom in on one unit cell, and show its architecture:
The matrix – the surrounding material;
The void inside the matrix – with controllable shape and size;
The particle inside the void – also with controllable shape and size.
After that we zoom out to see a plane cut with multiple voids and particles, and then virtually displace the cutting plane to show the multiple voids and particles inside the material.
Meta-Material Multi-Phase or Hybrid 3D Printer Prototype
Hybrid or Multi-Phase 3D printer prototype demonstrating simultaneous solid and liquid printing. Such printers enable the production of FVMat’s Meta-Materials with dynamic and controllable properties.
Video showcases the entire printing process in fast-forward, with crucial moments slowed for detail. You see a process that took an hour shortened to 3 min. The printed object is an hourglass containing liquid instead of sand.
The concept is simple:
1. Print solid regularly – layer by layer, until a cavity for fluid is created
2. Add fluid
3. Print one or a few more layers
4. Add more liquid
Repeat until the printed object is ready
In the video, you can see these stages at the following times:
0:00 – Initialization and Calibration
0:15 – Stage 1: Accelerated fabrication of the lower part of the bottom chamber
1:23 – Stage 2: Video is slowed down to spotlight the placement of the first liquid
1:36 – Stage 3: Solid printing resumes
1:42 – Stage 4: Incorporation of the secondary liquid portion to the lower chamber
Solid printing resumes, finishing the lower chamber and beginning the bottom part of the upper chamber, thus initiating the same cycle for the upper chamber. At 2:15 and 2:25, liquid is introduced into the newly created cavity, and the printing resumes to complete the remaining part of the hourglass.
Micro-Antenna Array with Dynamic Focus-Control
The focal point changes its location in 3D space, and each individual micro-antenna aligns itself accordingly. The overall effect is an antenna with controllable and dynamic characteristics.
This concept enables the design and production of antennas with controllable bandwidth and wavelengths. The performance and efficiency of this antenna can be engineered and built to specs. We can also design and optimize the thermal performance to prevent overheating.
